NEWS

Ronnie Radke Sues Accuser for Defamation

Ronnie Radkehas filed a civil lawsuit against a woman who publicly accused him of sexual assault. AP has obtained a twelve-page complaint filed this morning with a civil court in Los Angeles, where the Falling In Reverse frontman has lived for the past few years.

In a series of Facebook posts and subsequent comments and followups, 25 year-old Salt Lake City resident Kacee Boswell accused Radke (and seemingly members of his entourage) with a group sexual assault, during and after the Falling In Reverse performance at the Murray Theater, June 3, 2015.

Boswell’s social media posts described multiple bruises, a three inch contusion on her jaw, and torn throat ligaments as a result of the alleged attack. Since making the accusations public (and thanking two friends for “putting that monster on blast”), Boswell has been subjected to online harassment.

The alleged victim initially indicated she “wouldn’t mind” speaking with AP to provide further details, giving her phone number to one of our editors. A couple of hours later, Boswell changed her mind about speaking to AP, and spoke with TheNew York Daily News instead.

The civil complaint makes a number of claims in an effort to contradict Boswell’s account.

From the complaint: “As best as can be determined from Defendant Boswell’s shifting versions of events, Defendant Boswell claims that, on that night, she was raped two separate times, to wit, (1) during the band’s performance, in the band’s tour bus, with Radke’s bodyguard perpetrating the first alleged rape, and (2) after the band’s performance, in a car en route to Boswell’s home, with Radke and Radke’s bodyguard perpetrating this second alleged rape.”

The complaint continues: “Ronald Radke has been exonerated as fully as can occur in less than one week: The police swabbed the tour bus and the car and found no evidence of a rape. The police have taken no action against Radke. The police did not arrest Radke. The prosecutor has not charged Radke. Radke was not required to post bail. No restrictions have been placed on Radke’s movements.” One of Boswell’s Facebook comments stated Radke and his accomplice(s) posted bail, but information provided to AP by the Murray City Police Department appeared to contradict this.

The first rape was impossible, according to the complaint, as Radke’s bodyguard was present on or near the stage during Falling In Reverse’s performance. “The second alleged rape - after the performance, in a 4-door Nissan Maxima sedan, by Radke and the bodyguard - is equally impossible, since, among other reasons, Radke sat in the front of the car while Boswell sat in the back.”

So what does Radke allege happened on the night in question? He admits to a prior “casual intimate relationship” with the alleged victim. Her presence on the tour bus after the show is not in dispute, however, the band and crew say there were never less than a dozen people onboard.

Furthermore, Radke (and other witnesses) say the singer was never alone with the alleged victim.

After the show, Falling In Reverse buddy Danny Bateman (best known from Fuse TV’s Warped Roadies) offered to drive Boswell, Radke, and Radke’s bodyguard to a local bar called The Woodshed. Bateman drove, Radke sat shotgun, and the other two sat in back.

While en route, according to the complaint, “Radke decided that Boswell was seriously intoxicated or otherwise debilitated in some manner. Radke told Boswell that, instead of going to The Woodshed, Radke wanted the car to take Boswell either to a hospital or to her home. Boswell refused to go to a hospital, instead providing the name of an intersection as the location where she wanted to go.” Once at the intersection, “Boswell initially refused to leave the car; [Bateman] had to help secure her exit from the vehicle. Boswell then sat on the curb, awake, coherent and operating her phone.”

Radke says Bateman called the police and a passerby offered to stay with Boswell. The claim alleges that Boswell indicated she lived nearby, so the car drove off, only to return shortly afterward to find her lying down on the ground. AP reached out to this passerby, who responded with a brief text message.

“I witnessed the three gentlemen leaving her on the side of the road extremely disoriented and intoxicated,” he wrote. "I had stated there was a brief altercation (heated discussion) prior to the police arriving. I did believe Ronnie’s story and allowed them to leave the scene before the police arrived.”

He suggested there may have been wrongdoing “on everyone’s part” but refused to speculate as to what happened prior to what he witnessed, or what, if anything, should happen as a result. He noted that he has cooperated with Murray City Police and will not be responding to any further media requests.

By numerous accounts, Radke and his bodyguard hung out with friends at the bar and grabbed a drive-thru meal before returning to the bus, after which they were escorted by police back to the station for questioning. The complaint notes that at no time were they under arrest. Radke says he cooperated fully, answering questions for several hours, then was free to go, without any restrictions on his movements (or charges filed) whatsoever.

Radke is suing Boswell for Defamatory Statements made online and to the New York Daily News, alleging she acted with some combination of malice, fraud, and/or oppression. “The gist or sting of the Defamatory Statements is that Radke is a rapist, an alleged rapist and/or someone who condones rape by members of his entourage and that Radke has been arrested and has posted bailed [sic] for a violent sexual crime.”

Radke’s suit seeks monetary compensation for damages to the singer’s reputation. “The Defamatory Statements make or are likely to make Radke the subject of hatred, contempt, ridicule, obloquy, opprobrium and/or shunning,” and causing damage to his “property, business, trade, profession and/or occupation.”

After numerous requests for an interview, Boswell finally agreed to speak with AP as this article was going to press. The interview will be posted soon.